Welcome to the 2012 World Society of Disaster Nursing Research Conference Website

Aiko Yamamoto, RN, Ph.D

Chairperson

World Society of Disaster Nursing

As the Chairperson of World Society of Disaster Nursing, I would like to encourage attendance you all for the 2nd International Research Conference of WSDN at Wales in August 2012.

WSDN is Academic Society in order to share, accumulate, and exchange knowledge and skill related to disaster nursing. The society was established in 2008, and had the first Conference at Kobe in January, 2009. Now we are going to have the Second Conference under strong leadership of Professor Mead.

It will be wonderful opportunity to discuss practice, education, and research about disaster nursing in world wide. I am looking forward to seeing all of you in Wales.

Professor Donna Mead OBE.

Chair 2nd International Conference of WSDN

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It is indeed an honour and privilege to invite you to this our society’s second international conference on the 23rd and 24th of August 2012 in Cardiff, the Capital City of Wales. In particular I am delighted to welcome you to Wales at this very special time in the United Kingdom as our Conference is being held in between the Olympic and the Paralympic games. We sincerely hope that these events will bring a positive focus to our difficult, challenging and troubled times.

As I write I am conscious that I may well have to update this message as it seems that not a week goes by where we do not see disasters affecting communities, countries and continents. At the moment we hold in our thoughts those so deeply affected by the earthquake in Christchurch New Zealand and in Sendau, Japan. In the first eleven years of this new century we have seen the impact of earthquakes, flooding, fires and Tsunamis on a global scale. Superimposed on this are the many conflicts that have developed and evolved over this time. All these events are having very serious consequences for populations at risk who are displaced and in dire need of quality healthcare. Colleagues, we are living in very challenging times and I am proud to acknowledge the significant contribution which the nursing profession is making in meeting the complex healthcare delivery difficulties in these situations.

In bringing together our global disaster nursing community here in Wales where we can discuss, learn, explore and debate our profession’s contribution and hear the best practice of recent times, we aim to ensure that delegates are challenged and enthused. In short at a time when the challenges have perhaps never been greater, we want to enable you to have access to the most up to date information on which to base your own practice. We feel that themes of our conference reflect the broad church that is disaster nursing and trust that all within our profession will feel they have a place and a contribution to make.

The conference venue which we have chosen, Cardiff City Hall, is steeped in the history of Wales from the Celtic saints and ancient lawmakers to present day government The capital City of Wales is one of the most attractive cities in the United Kingdom with many sights and visitor attractions for all tastes not least Cardiff Bay with its seat of Welsh Government, restaurants and music. There will be opportunities to explore these attractions and details will be posted later.

On behalf of the organising committee of the Conference I cordially invite you to this conference and look forward very much to welcoming you to Wales.

Professor Jean White, Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, has great pleasure in welcoming nursing colleagues from around the World to this important conference, which is sure to be both inspirational and informative.